Comic Rack – Ms. Marvel #1

Ms. Marvel #1 introduces the character who will taking over the name for Marvel’s new Marvel NOW! campaign (not to be confused with Marvel’s old Marvel NOW! campaign also currently still happening). The first issue from writer G. Willow Wilson and artist Adrian Alphona does a good job at introducing us to Muslim teenager Kamala Khan and her close circle of dysfunctional friends and family.

The comic also gives us the origins of Kamala’s new powers with the magic fog and hallucinatory visions which leave her with super-powers and Carol Danvers‘ old costume. Neither the fog nor her vision is remotely explained leaving the reasoning behind the gift a mystery. Since we don’t see the character in costume until the final panel it’s also unclear what power set the new Ms. Marvel has at her disposal.

As an introduction to Kamala Ms. Marvel #1 works but as an introction to the new Ms. Marvel it feels incomplete. Although we do Kamala in Danvers’ old costume (which she rightly prefers) given the promotional materials (and comic’s variant cover) we know it’s not the costume she keeps. Worth a look.